Thursday Night: Time for the Rookies to Shine

Many new parts to see in Chargers' preseason openerWritten by Kevin Acee6:34 p.m., Aug. 10, 2011

Many players whose jersey replicas will be in the stands won’t be on the field Thursday night.​

You’ll have to look to the sideline to see tight end Antonio Gates or linebacker Larry English (rehabilitating foot injuries), left tackle Marcus McNeill (knee surgery that will sideline him two weeks) or cornerbackAntoine Cason (recovering from finger surgery).​

You might get an on-field glimpse of Malcom Floyd, see Ryan Mathews carry the ball a few times, see Vincent Jackson catch a ball or two.​

Philip Rivers and the offensive line will probably be in the game for a quarter. Same for most starters. Some of the big names might play only one series.​

In all, more than a dozen players won’t participate due to mostly minor injuries.​

For those absences and cameos, the score of Thursday night’s exhibition between the Chargers and Seattle Seahawks will be forgotten shortly after it is final.​

But the first preseason game has all sorts of significance, perhaps especially this year.​

Norv Turner spoke to his team Tuesday night and reminded them there are a number of key players on the roster who started as virtual no-names.​

“There are 30 of those guys in there like that,” Turner said Wednesday. “One of them may step up and do something real special, so I want to see them all.”​

Rivers loves football, whatever its incarnation. He will hardly take his eyes off the field after he leaves Thursday's game.​

“First, I get excited because I like to play,” Rivers said. “It’s exciting just to play again. And you just like to see young guys … You can tell right away who loves to play. It’s exciting to see them compete and cheer them on. And this is where the team grows closer. It’s been crash – offense has been grinding, defense has been grinding, we’ve been going against each other. Now we get to pull for each other ... It’s the process of camp and seeing how we come together.”​

And sure, the lockout made everyone grateful for an uninterrupted schedule. But tonight is anticipated more for all the new faces who will play significant roles. There is more novelty to this Chargers roster as in at least a half-dozen years.​

Takeo Spikes, Bob Sanders and Travis LaBoy will make their Chargers debuts.​

Spikes is entering his 14th season, playing for his fourth team. Yet he acknowledged a certain adrenaline anticipating this game.​

“Yeah, people know you can play,” he said. “But they don’t know you can play. Every day is an audition for me.”​

Rookie do-over Donald Butler will also be on the field for the first time after missing 2010 with an Achilles' injury. The special teams will be under a microscope First-round draft pick Corey Liuget and second-rounders Marcus Gilchrist and Jonas Mouton will play prominent roles tonight and beyond.​

“Seeing what these guys can contribute to our team and to what we’re trying to build,” defensive end Luis Castillo said, explaining his excitement. “You take a guy like Corey -- you see the athleticism and the fact that he came in as a guy, technique-wise, he didn’t look like a rookie. He’s got hand placement, strike, his pad level, and his foot work and there’s certain things that he does that you just -- you can see why he was drafted as high as he was. You see the ability there now. Then you just excited to see how they can contribute when it’s full-go.​

“There’s a difference between going out there in helmets and shoulder pads against your own guys … and then doing it against somebody else in a game situation.”​

Those in attendance tonight will get a good, long look at Liuget, as well as the two players who could join him in future seasons to comprise the defensive line. Vaughn Martin and Cam Thomas have been showing well in camp so far and how they step up in preseason could determine how much more one or both play in 2011.​

Gilchrist stands to be one of the game's stars. He will cover kicks, return kicks and play cornerback – just like he has in training camp, so far showing himself to be equal to everything the Chargers have thrown at him.​

“I’ve been doing it all this past two weeks in practice anyway, so it’ll be just routine for me,” Gilchrist said. “(But) when the lights come on, the great players show up. It’s just some guys that when those lights come on, it’s a whole different mentality and you see a whole other side of ‘em.​

“I’ve been one of those guys that try and consistently do it in practice and in the game, but there’s just no fill-in like the game. When game time comes, it just notch’s it up to another level."​

Single-game tickets​

Tickets to individual games – except Nov. 6 against the Green Bay Packers– go on Sale Saturday. Packers tickets can only be purchased in a package with the Sept. 1 preseason game against the San Francisco 49ers or in a four-game package with games against Kansas City, Denver and Baltimore.​

Thanks to a heads up by Blue Bolt I am set up to DVR both the ESPN and CBS broadcasts - that way I MAY have a chance to figure out what happened on the field in the 4th quarter when they start all of the distracting sideline interviews and mugging by the broadcasters, (CBS is particularly BAAAD). Will worry about who did what when later - just want to kick back and enjoy hell out of an exhibition game. Later on I'll go back and look at the O-Line, D-line & linebackers - but am particularly interested to see 1. Todman & 2. if Brinkley can once again seize the moment (Curtis is my underdog again this year).

1. Jonas Mouton/Donald Butler - one of these two must step up otherwise its Kirk Morrison time
2. Vaughn Martin - everyone watching Liuget, this guy if he turns it on has the skill set to eclipse Castillo
3. Seyi Ajirotutu - most improved huh? Let's see what happens when the rubber hits the road
4. Louis Vasquez - questionable how much he'll play but he's the only starter on either side who's job is in jeopardy
5. Cam Thomas - Nearly as important as Martin's development, they need him to step up and become a better back up
Honorable Mention - Marcus Gilchrist: See Ajirotutu for explanation

1. Jonas Mouton/Donald Butler - one of these two must step up otherwise its Kirk Morrison time
2. Vaughn Martin - everyone watching Liuget, this guy if he turns it on has the skill set to eclipse Castillo
3. Seyi Ajirotutu - most improved huh? Let's see what happens when the rubber hits the road
4. Louis Vasquez - questionable how much he'll play but he's the only starter on either side who's job is in jeopardy
5. Cam Thomas - Nearly as important as Martin's development, they need him to step up and become a better back up
Honorable Mention - Marcus Gilchrist: See Ajirotutu for explanation